Since Covid there has been a global shift to prioritising being ‘present’ in our lives, honing the art of noticing. We’ve been inspired to create our castle, a haven in our homes. Thinking of my special place in my home, I wanted to encourage friends, family, and readers to share their special/safe space. Perhaps it might inspire you to create a sacred space, if you don’t already have one.
I’ve named this feature, Kumbla because it conjures up the image of a sacred space for me. The word ‘kumbla’ comes from the work of Erna Brodber, Jamaican writer (sociologist and social activist), entitled Jane and Louisa Will Soon Come Home:
“The image of the kumbla derives in this novel from a popular Anancy story in which Anancy dupes Dryhead into believing that he is surrendering all of his sons to him by telling his son Tucuma … Anancy’s whole career has been one of spinning “fine white cocoons” (124), creating kumblas “designed to protect for generations”.
Well, the Christmas decorations are packed away. Now, I’m ‘eyeing-up’ the master bedroom which needs an update. I like looking at other people’s renovations and dreaming of my pending work. While scrolling on Insta, I discovered Vee. Vee is an entrepreneur based in Derbyshire. She cooks up Caribbean dishes for her catering business but she also has an account dedicated to her home. I reached out to Vee because I am intrigued about how entrepreneurs create their sacred space.
Vee says:
I have two special spaces in my home, the dining room, and the living room. My husband and I lived with unimpressive man-made beams in both rooms and a fake brick fireplace in the living room for 14 years! Then, I decided enough was enough. We took the beams down with a hammer and removed the fake brick. We then contacted a plasterer to plaster the ceiling and the fireplace. The reason I love the rooms so much is apart from it being a labour of love, it’s the colour.
We chose sage green paint for the main wall and the fireplace. It’s so fresh and natural with the wood and gold decor. I adore the prints, too, so I purchased some from a talented local artist. I also bought and upcycled a bookcase and a wood and glass sideboard from the Facebook marketplace. The space makes working from home enjoyable.
You can find Vee on Instagram her account renovating_ours. It’s a private account, you will have to request permission for access. However, her catering business account Mama Vees is public. Check it out, to see what she’s cooking up!
If you missed the last Kumbla features, visit the Kumbla page to see them all. Do you have a special space at home, tell us about it, comment below.
You can DM me on Instagram or email: maria@xpatathome.co.uk if you would like to be featured.
I look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime follow me on Instagram @xpatathome
